Tiebreakers Push Syracuse Past Harvard Women's Tennis

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Harvard women's tennis team nearly defeated the Orange while clinging to a 3-2 lead, but a pair of third-set tiebreakers went Syracuse's way to knock off the Crimson Sunday morning at the Murr Center.

Hideko Tachibana and Kristin Norton, who are ranked No. 25 in the nation among doubles teams, slipped past Emily Harman and Breanna Bachini, 9-7 and Hannah Morrill and Kelly Whelan took down Maddie Kobelt and Aleah Marrow of Syracuse, 8-6.

The Crimson moved to within one point of victory, 3-2, after splitting the first four matches to finish. Harvard's victories came at No. 2, where Norton trumped Kobelt, 6-2, 6-3, and No. 3, as Camille Jania dominated Komal Safdar. Jania was flawless in her match, winning by 6-0 tallies in each set.

With the match on the line, the singles sets became equally close. The Crimson challenged the Orange, as Harvard's No. 5 and No. 6 saw their matches extend to three sets before ultimately falling in each.

Sam Gridley pushed her match to a deciding set with a 7-5 win in the second, after dropping the first set, 6-2, before Alessondra Parra of Syracuse barely pulled out a victory in the third frame, 7-6 (5).